Vintage New Jersey
I am a native Philadelphian who some how found herself in the dead center of the Lone Star State. As the temperatures in Austin regularly hit 104 degrees this time of year my mind wanders to the luxuries of summer in the City of Brotherly love. Summer in Philly meant block parties, copious amounts of Rita’s water ice and, most importantly, most importantly, trips to the Jersey Shore for lazy days on the beach and breezy nights wandering the board walk. The MTV reality soap-opera has given the Jersey Shore a bad name, but I remember when it was the very definition of wholesome summer fun for every person young and old, Guido and non-Guido.
Lucy the Elephant
Part of the draw of the Shore for me is the timeless appeal of slightly cheesy tourist attractions and the a certain faded glory. Summer on the Jersey Shore means visiting faded tourist attractions, like Lucy the Elephant, the six-story elephant shaped building just south of Atlantic City. What says cheesy summer fun more than getting your picture taken hugging the leg of a gigantic elephant that has presided over Jersey since the Vicotrian Era? Nothing, that’s what!
The boardwalk was a keystone of my summer during my teen and tween years and it hasn’t changed much since then. Although I usually stayed in friend’s parents’ houses in the quieter neighborhoods, no week at the Shore was complete without a night out on the boardwalk. The boardwalk in Wildwood, NJ has hardly changed in the 28 years I’ve known it. It’s a see and be seen scene for kids and adults, lined up and down with t-shirt shops, pizzerias, and amusements rides. I don’t know if there is anything I like better on a summer night than strolling down the boardwalk, munching on funnel cake and taking in the sights and sounds on an NJ evening.